1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electrical connection device between bodies of a slide type portable terminal including a main body and a slide body which slides on the main body to convert its mode into a voice communication mode or other modes, and in particular, to an electrical connection device of a slide type portable terminal configured to maintain excellent reliability of the terminal even when the slide body is operated for a long period of time.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of electronics and communication technologies, portable wireless terminals are getting slimmer and lighter, and now provide a greater variety of functions. For example, a portable terminal is now being equipped with a speaker unit that can implement melodies with various chords, and/or with a color display device that has tens or hundreds of thousands of pixels. Also, the terminal may serve as an MP3 player that plays music, or may provide game contents using the display device, together with basic voice-communication functions. Many efforts are being made to further develop those functions.
Also, a portable wireless terminal is being released which provides various functions related to the high-quality color display device. For example, the terminal may be provided with an optical shooting system, such as a small lens assembly, for image communication, digital camera functions, or camcorder functions.
In general, the terminal having the aforementioned functions is a foldable type terminal that includes a main body and a folder. The folder serves as a sub body that is opened with respect to the main body at a predetermined angle.
In addition to the folder type terminal, a slide type terminal is continuously being released. The slide type terminal is opened by sliding a slide body over a predetermined distance on the main body in a lengthwise direction of the terminal. When closed (i.e., slid down), the slide body overlaps the main body and thus the terminal can be carried while having an overall size of the main body. Also, during voice communication (when the slide body is slid up), the terminal is opened to have a similar size to the opened folder type terminal, thereby allowing operations to be performed under advantageous communication environments.
In the aforementioned slide type terminal, a main board (RF board) with a controller and a battery pack serving as a power supply unit are generally mounted on the main body. Also, the slide body is equipped with a display device and various key buttons. For this reason, an electrical connection device is used to electrically connect the main body to the slide body. In general, a flexible printed circuit (FPC) is used as the electrical connection device and is installed on a surface where the main body surface-contacts with the slide body. The FPC is installed with an extra portion long enough to move the slide body, and therefore, is generally formed in the shape of ‘S’ on a surface where the main body surface-contacts with the slide body. The ‘S’-shaped FPC extends and contracts according to the operation of the slide body.
However, because the FPC is installed in the form of ‘S’ on a surface where a the main body surface-contacts with the slide body, the terminal increases in volume, and frequent opening/closing operation of the slide body can cause an open circuit of the FPC, and consequently, malfunction of the terminal occurs.